Stock-car



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

' L. R. STILES.

STOCK GAR,

No. 293,235. Patented Feb. 12, 1884.

W6 i'n/os sea (No Model.) r 2' Sheets-Sheet 2. h

R. STILES'.

STOCK GAR. No. 293,285. Patented Peb. 12, 1884.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

LUTHER R. STILES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STOCK-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,285, dated February 12, 1884 Application filed November 24, 1853. (No model.) i

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER R. STILEs, of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Stock- Gars for Railroads, of which the following is a specification.

The obj eat of my invention is to provide the means and devices by which a stock-car such as is now used to transport live stock and bulky freights can be conveniently and cheaply converted into a double-deckedcar having alower and an upper floor, and thus double its capacity for small animals, such as hogs and sheep, and then,when not required for the last-named use, it can be reconverted into a single compartment for beef-cattle, horses, and mules, as well as for lumber and other bulky articles of commerce.

The construction and operation of the devices constituting my said improvement will be hereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a car embracing the same'in its construction, about one-half the near wall having been cut away in order to show or display one of the leaves A suspended against the farther wall; Fig. 2,

a horizontal section of the same made just above the upper deck or floor of the same; Fig.3, a vertical transverse section thereof; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6, detail views of certain parts.

The letter A indicates the four sections or leaves of which the main portion of the' upper deck is composed, and B the two short end leaves or sections of the same. The outer edges of leaves A and B are provided at regular intervals with eyes 6, attached thereto as shown, and through these eyes are passed the hinge-rods f. Such eyes are securely fastened to the vertical studding or other solid parts of the walls of the ear about half-way up between the lower deck and the roof, and the outer edges of the leaves being supported bythe rods f, the inner edges are supported upon the same level by means of a series of chains, 0, attach ed at their upper ends to the ridge-plate r or otherwise, while their lower ends are provided with disks or plates (1, which support adjoining edges and corners, as in thedrawings. Instead of these chains, posts with suitable devices upon each end to prevent their slipping might be employed; but they would be amenable to the objection, that not being attached to the car they would be liable to be lost or mislaid when not in use. 7

The leaves or sections A, when made of wood,

should, for the sake of greater stiffness and strength, have the planks to run crosswise of -the car, as shown in the drawings but they may be made of iron and corrugated, to prevent the feet of animals from slipping upon them, or they may be made of iron and wood combined.

Having described how the upper deck is constructed and sustained, it remains to be described how it is to be disposed of when the car is to be used for beef-cattle, horses, mules, and other bulky freights. This is simply done by raising the chains 0 until the inner edges of the leaves become free from the disks (1, when each leaf will swing down upon its hingerod f against the wall of the car, as shown upon the right hand in Fig. 1, and the end leaves, 13, having swung down against the end walls in like manner upon their hinge-rods, sufficient space will be left at each end for the four leaves A to slide back to the right and left on their rods from the center each way, and leave the two doorways D entirely free of them. The chains 0, when not in use, may be hung upon hooks out of the way, as shown in Fig. 1, and the inner edges of the leaves may be recessed, as shown in the same figure, to allow the chains to pass between them.

The endleaves or sections, 13, are hinged to the end walls by any suitable hinge, no claim being made herein for any special mode of hinging them.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the several hinge. rods f, securely fastened to the side walls of the described stock-car, and .the several sections A of the main portion of the upper deck, each provided with a series of eyes, 6, adapting them not only to revolve on the hingerods, but to move back and forth lengthwise upon them and free the doorways when required, substantially as and for the purpose described. p

,2. The series of chains 0, having their up per ends attached to the roof of the described their hinges against the walls sufficient space 10 .end leaves hinged to the walls thereof about Vitnesses:

car, and their lower ends provided with disks will be left at either end for the sections of the or plates (1, adapted to support the inner edges main portion of the upper deck to slide back and'corners 0f the leaves A and B, substanagainst the end walls and free the doorways, tially as described. substantially as described.

3. The stoclccar described, provided with LUTHER R. STILES.

midway between the roof and lower deck, hav- A. M. STOUT, I ing such lengths that when folded down upon FREDERICK O. GOODWIN. 

